Shakira was found not guilty in a tax evasion case after an “eight year ordeal” and received a huge amount of compensation as a result.
The Grammy winner will not only have the $64 million fine imposed in 2021 repaid, but will also receive an additional amount to cover the fine and interest.
The songwriter will receive more than $70 million, Reuters reported on Monday.
The judge ruled that authorities had not proven that Shakira spent more than 183 days in Spain in 2011, the requirement to be considered a tax resident.
The 49-year-old singer celebrated the win in a statement to TMZ, insisting there was “no cheating whatsoever.”
It reads: “After enduring more than eight years of brutal public targeting, a systematic campaign to destroy my reputation, and sleepless nights that ultimately affected my health and the well-being of my family, the National High Court has finally set the record straight.”
Her lawyer, José Luis Prada, added: “(The victory) comes after eight years of ordeals that reflect a lack of rigor in administrative practice and have exacted unacceptable sacrifices.”
However, the IRS reportedly plans to appeal to the Supreme Court and will not pay Shakira until a final judgment is issued.
Shakira’s representatives did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Notably, this performer’s legal battle began when she was charged in 2018, and she has since maintained her innocence.
Shakira denied paying $15.8 million in back taxes from 2012 to 2014, but reached an agreement with the Spanish government on the first day of her trial in November 2023.
After settling for $15 million, Shakira wrote that she did so “in the best interest of (her) children.”
Milan, 13, and Sasha, 11, said in a statement that they “didn’t want to see their mother sacrifice her health in this fight.”
In an essay for Mundo the following year, Shakira decided to make the choice to “protect” herself and her ex Gerard Pique’s sons.
“I want them to know that I protect them, I’m by their side, and I made the decisions I made to move on with my life,” she wrote in September 2024. “It’s not out of cowardice or guilt.”
Legal battles aside, Shakira made headlines earlier this month when she was selected to be one of the halftime show performers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside Madonna and K-pop band BTS.
Fans, on the other hand, were outraged by the decision, claiming they “didn’t want” a halftime show and calling the decision an attempt to “make everything American.”
